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This post was inspired in part by Every Body, Every Wear and in part because I haven’t worn this green lace top in quite some time. I bought it from an LA boutique in 2007; the label is “The Origine.”
I was drawn to the top because of the aqua-colored panels with the cherry blossom print, the green lace, the soft material, and the light pink ribbon detail.
I’ve worn it maybe eight times (cost/wear = $45/8 = $5.62). The last time I wore it and had a picture taken of me wearing it was last year during a dinner with some law school buddies. I paired it with my robin’s egg blue cardigan and jeans (I think the same ones I’m wearing above – GLO jeans that I bought from Marshall’s). Though not shown in the picture below, I believe I’m also wearing the same pumps as above (faux lizard skin pumps from Payless circa 2007).
In 2007, I paired the green lace top with jeans again and pointy-toed patent nude/beige pumps:
(I would make this picture bigger, but the resolution’s awful.)
Close up of the green lace top:
Any suggestions on other ways to wear this top aside from pairing it with jeans?
This is also my first outfit for the 30 for 30 Remix Challenge. I still haven’t figured out what my 30 items will be, but 4 are down: 1) Green H&M cardigan, 2) Green lace top, 3) GLO jeans, and 4) Payless faux lizard skin pumps. Only 26 more items to choose!
Lastly, Steph decided that this outfit is going to be Outfit Number 1 for her 30 for 30:
Details of her outfit will soon be forthcoming!
I haven’t worn this skirt in a few years, and I can’t remember the price for it (maybe $20-$25), but I got it in 2005.
Gap Full Skirt (bought in 2005)
H&M Coral Tank Dress (bought in 2010; worn as a top; last worn here as a dress)
Mossimo Taupe Heels (bought from Target in 2009)
H&M White Cardigan (bought in 2007)
Coral & Black Bead Necklace (gift from my husband’s grand aunt in the Philippines)
Pearl Strand Necklace (bought in the Philippines in 2011)
Forever 21 Pearl, Crystal Bead, and Shell Flower Necklace (bought in 2010)
Initial Pendant and Rhinestone Pendant Necklace (initial pendant was a gift from my dad when I was six, rhinestone pendant necklace has been [permanently] borrowed from my mom)
Pearl Earrings (gift from my aunt in 2006)
Tan Stud Bracelet (free gift for signing up with BaubleBar)
Gold Bead Bracelet (gift from my husband’s aunt in the Philippines in 2010)
Glasses (bought from Costco in 2010)
Beige Corset Belt (bought from Masque Boutique in 2009)
I piled on the accessories today and kept my makeup “fresh,” as my husband calls it. Moisturizer with SPF (always), a dab of Smith’s Rosebud Salve (always), some grey eyebrow liner (I find that looks the most natural for my brows), and some brown-black eyeliner, and I was out the door.
Close up of necklaces:
The skirt’s hemline actually falls around mid-calf, but because the coral dress has an empire waistline, I rolled up the skirt a few times and added the beige corset belt. That belt is one of my favorite finds even though my husband does not generally like the look of wide belts on me.
Today is going to be spent relaxing at home with the family; next weekend is going to be insanely busy as we have a fundraising dinner, a wedding here, and then a red-eye flight to Boston to attend another wedding the following day. Thus, no MIFDDN; I think our Crystal Cove visit was our outing for this week.
For those in the States, hope you are all enjoying the Memorial Day Weekend.
I ran into a bit of a snafu Wednesday morning when I realized I’ve gone through all of my work clothes on this blog. I’ve worn all of my button down shirts already, all of my slacks, and all of my suits and my Captain’s/School Boy blazer. The only items left for work are a casual work suit which I’ll be saving for next week and a purple H&M dress that I bought two years ago.
I’ve worn this purple tulip-skirted dress maybe six times; about 1/3 of the time (twice), someone else has worn the same dress to the same event!
At an awards ceremony for my mum, another woman had the same dress as me. At a law school event, the same thing happened. Both times, each person involved had styled her dress differently, so only the person wearing the dress would have known that there was another woman wearing her dress (except for one very observant law school friend of mine who immediately exclaimed, “Hey! She’s wearing the same dress as you!”).
I’ve worn this dress 1) with a black long sleeved shirt underneath with tights, 2) without tights and a black cardigan, and 3) with tights with a black camisole. Basically, I’ve always paired this dress with black.
This was taken at a pre-Thanksgiving dinner with my girlfriends – I had just given the news that I had passed the California Bar…or was it that dinner was ready? Either way, people were excited.
I was going for a Mad Men look here, with a wannabe Joan Holloway updo. This was also the first time in probably 20 years that I’ve worn a nail color shade that resembles the color of the drink in my hand.
For work on Wednesday, I moved away from the regular black belt and grabbed my aqua belt. Then instead of the usual black cardigan, I grabbed my green one. Since I was on a roll, instead of putting a black camisole underneath the dress, I decided to go for a striped button down, and voila, I had a Color Brigade-worthy outfit!
F21 Button Down (bought in 2010)
H&M Purple Tulip Dress (bought in 2009)
H&M Green Cardigan (bought in 2008)
H&M Aqua Belt (came with a pair of shorts bought in 2010)
Target Taupe Heels (bought in 2009)
Guess Watch (gift from a friend back in high school)
Tan Stud Wrap Bracelet (free gift for signing up with BaubleBar)
Turquoise Bracelet (gift from a family friend in 2010)
Turquoise & Pearl Necklace (gift from a family friend in 2010)
Gold Bead Bracelet (gift from my husband’s aunt in the Philippines in 2011)
Green Glass Drop Earrings (bought at NYC’s Sea Port in 2005)
Detail of Turquoise & Pearl Necklace
Detail of Turquoise & Pearl Necklace, Green Glass Drop Earrings, and Tan Stud Wrap Bracelet
Detail of Green Glass Drop Earrings
I wore this to the office on Wednesday and later met up with some friends for some delicious-tasting ramen. I had no idea there were so many ramen joints in my neck of the woods. I’m so glad that one of my friends is a Yelp Elite who can introduce me to these fantastic places. [I say Yelp Elite in italics because it's a bit tongue-in-cheek for three reasons: 1) I sound like a douche when I say "Yelp Elite," 2) I actually mean it as a compliment to my friend who I always introduce as "[Her Full Name (because her first name is the same as mine)], Yelp Elite,” and 3) She’s been Yelp Elite for the last three years, and this year is the first that she’s not Yelp Elite because we had to study for the Bar…but my husband and I insist on calling her “[Her Full Name], Yelp Elite” nevertheless.]
We didn’t get a chance to check out the hipster bar across from the ramen restaurant, but “[Her Full Name], Yelp Elite,” there’s always next time!
***
Some last few notes:
1. Even though I’m reaching my 100th post (maybe ten more posts?), I still feel like I’m a newbie when it comes to blogging. I started blogging partly as a birthday gift to my husband by reducing my shopping spending and partly so that I could challenge myself to gain some fashion sense. The reason I continue to blog is that I find a lot of joy in writing and sharing stories. If you’ve come across my blog and have enjoyed reading it, I thank you for your time, and I’m glad you’ve enjoyed reading my posts.
2. In blogging and in life, I know I will make mistakes. Early on, I wrote a post that I thought was honest at the time, but upon re-reading it, I saw that it could be taken offensively, and I deleted it. I never openly apologized for it because I thought that would call too much attention to what I had said, so even though that post is no longer up, for those who did read it and took offense, I apologize.
3. I didn’t want to seem like too much of a dweeb, but I got my first reader email the Sunday that I saw Emily VanCamp (Rebecca from ABC’s Brothers & Sisters) at the airport. Not joking – receiving my first reader email was more exciting than seeing Emily VanCamp, but I felt shy about sharing how happy the reader’s email made me, so I kept it to myself (and my husband – who I mentioned it to over and over and over again).
4. The other day, I read a reply to a comment I had made from another blogger who said she was inspired by me (by me!), and that also made me kinda giddy.
5. Over the last couple of weeks, my friends have told me either in person or over email how they like certain outfits or certain items, and hearing that makes me not only appreciate the clothes and accessories already present in my wardrobe, but also the time my friends took in sharing their thoughts with me. I thought I was the only one who liked my orange pumps until a friend emailed me that she liked them; I was about ready to toss out my black and white linen pants until a friend had said she liked an outfit with those pants the best. I thought I looked a bit out-of-character when I tried some punk rock looks, but a friend said she really liked those outfits. Another friend was delighted that I featured a gift she gave me on my blog. To all of the readers who are my friends (or family), thank you for reading.
(P.S. - Sunshine, if you’re reading this, the bigger pictures were done just for you!)
Laisidan Black Tee/Tunic (Size XL, gift from my mum in 2007; my mom purchased this in Paris during my parents’ trip/very delayed honeymoon in Europe) [worn a handful of times]
F21 Black Leggings (bought a couple of years ago)
Fioni Orange Patent Pumps (bought from Payless in 2009)
H&M Black Cardigan (Size S, bought in 2007)
AE Chandelier Earrings (bought in 2010)
Heart Border Ring (scavenged by my dad)
VE-GAAAAAAS! My cousin’s bachelorette party is this weekend, and “we so excited…we so excited…”
My cousin and her fiance are having a joint bachelor/bachelorette party, so my husband gets to join in on the festivities.
I did a great job packing this time around (toothbrush – check, hair ties and bobby pins – check, facial cleanser – check)! My outfit above is for the flight today. I’ll be wearing my orange patent pumps all weekend and I’m looking forward to the pumps getting some extra wear time.
The black tee was a gift from my mom after she and my dad returned from their trip to Europe. She bought it at a boutique in Paris. I love the design of the shirt from the graphic to the attached asymmetric skirt.
I’m also really liking the punk rock and New Wave feel of this outfit (partially inspired by Depeche Mode’s Just Can’t Get Enough music video).
Lastly, did anyone else catch the latest episode of Cougar Town, “Free Fallin”? Ellie was rockin’ the Onitsukas! Oh, woot.
A co-worker once complimented me on this cardigan and said, “I love the robin’s egg blue shade.” Before her remark, I had no idea that robins’ eggs were blue; I just thought that was a name for a shade of blue.
Apparently, robins’ eggs are blue and they’re similar in color to my cardigan:
Esprit Blue Cardigan (Size M, gift from a friend in 2000 or 2001)
BR Dress (Size 2, bought in 2008 from a gift card a friend gave [shortened by about six inches])
H&M Aqua Belt (came with a pair of navy Bermuda shorts, bought in 2010 – the newest version of the Bermuda shorts has a tan skinny belt attached)
Turquoise & Pearl Necklace (gift from a family friend)
Turquoise Bracelet (gift from a family friend)
Gold Bead Bracelet (wedding gift from my husband’s aunt)
Pearl Earrings (gift from my auntie)
Mossimo Taupe Heels (Size 7, bought from Target)
Detail of Bracelets:
I’ve had this cardigan for over 10 years. When I pointed out to my friend that she gave it to me a decade ago, she said, “It’s held up well!” I replied, “It’s because I’ve only washed it three times!” I wore it often in undergrad, a few times while teaching, a handful of times while in grad school, and a couple of times while in law school. I hadn’t worn it in a while, though, and I found that it was the best lightweight cover for the BR dress.
I like to call the BR dress my “Belle” dress because it reminds me of Belle from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. The Belle dress used to end at mid-calf, but I brought it to the tailor’s to shorten it to knee length a couple of years ago. This dress is usually worn to special occasions: my brother’s graduation from graduate school, my friend’s son’s second-year-old birthday, my husband’s Confirmation, a reunion dinner with some close law school friends, and now added to the list: my friend’s graduation from pharmacy school!
Today was one of the busiest days I’ve had in quite some time. Early in the morning, I was scheduled for my first in-person renewal at the DMV. My driver’s license has had my 16-year-old picture for the last 13 years. I was forced to get a new picture; otherwise, I would have been fine with the picture of my 16-year-old self, if only out of sheer laziness and my reluctance in going to the DMV. Following my one-hour stay at the DMV, my girlfriends and I road tripped it to my friend’s graduation (her husband kindly treated us to both lunch and dinner), and then we all went shopping.
Loved this dress, but sadly left it at Forever 21:
It was a Size S, priced at $24.80, and it was the last one that the store had. I loved the scoop neckline, the flattering fit, the pockets, the color, the sleeves, the lining, the way it fit, the reasonable price, and the lace.
The only thing I didn’t love? My stupid self imposed shopping ban. Okay, not so stupid, but at the time, that’s what I was telling myself. As we left the store (H&M and F21 bags happily flapping from the hands of my friends), two of my friends did tell me they were proud of me…and I’m actually proud of myself.
I am learning to appreciate my closet more, and additionally, I’m getting better at deciding which items I really love as opposed to the items I just have a passing fancy with, and those are just the types of lessons I need to learn while on my quest for fashion sense.
I first wore this outfit to church on Sunday and decided to repeat the look for my going-into-the-office day (Wednesday). This is my definition of Southern California business casual.
H&M Navy Blue Button Down (Size 4, bought in 2007) [cost/use = $25/5 = $5]
Refuge Jeans (Size 3S[hort], bought from Charlotte Russe in 2007)
BR Grey Suit Jacket/Blazer (Size 2P[etite], bought in 2011)
Bronze Woven Belt (gift/hand-me-down from my auntie in 2006)
Sarah Jayne Brown Button Pumps (bought in 2006)
Faux Leather Tote (permanently borrowed from my mom – she got it in Viet Nam for $2 at the night market in Saigon)
Dasha Boutique Pearl & Moonstone Earrings
Detail of brown button pumps:
Detail of pearl & moonstone earrings:
Image from Dasha Boutique
I’ve been enjoying taking more detailed shots because I am reminded to more fully appreciate the items I don’t wear very often.
The brown button pumps haven’t been worn in over a year, but I’ve kept them because I’ve always liked the pumps’ rounded shape and the cute button accent at the edge.
They’re kind of out-of-date and aren’t trendy at all, but they brought me great joy when wearing them out and about at the office on Wednesday. As for the blue button down, I generally tend to wear it a few days after I wear the purple button down and vice versa. Wearing one always makes me think of the other.
Wednesday night, my husband and I decided to watch Bridesmaids. It took a bit of persuasion on my end, involving many allusions to Old School meets Hangover and having my husband watch the trailer. I told him that many bloggers had recommended the film, but it wasn’t until my husband saw Jon Hamm, aka Don Draper, make an appearance in the trailer that he decided that the movie was worth watching.
I’d love to quote lines and share anecdotes from the film, but I don’t want to ruin it for those who haven’t seen it yet. I will say that the theater was packed on a Wednesday evening, and we ended up watching the movie next to three gentlemen in their fifties who looked like they went to see the movie straight after work (as did we, save my husband who was, per usual, in cargo shorts and Rainbows).
All that’s left to say is that I rarely think that a movie is worth the $11.50 movie ticket price, but I definitely thought that Bridesmaids was, and so did my husband. If you have seen it, let me know (if only so that we can exchange quotes!).
This red tunic is one of my favorite items. I had just started loving the color red in 2007, and this tunic (accompanying sash worn as bow tie can be seen here) was a birthday gift from a friend during that time. I love the little pleats in the middle.
The tunic is made out of a cotton jersey material and I used to wear it with some micro shorts underneath; later, I began to wear it with leggings and boots.
This is the first time that I wore it as a shirt:
American Rag Tunic (Size S, gift from a friend in 2007) [cost/use = 0/10 = 0]
Jacob Black Pants (Size 3/4, gift/hand-me-down from my auntie in 2006)
MODA International Fitted Cardigan (Size XS, bought from Victoria’s Secret in 2010)
Black Studded Belt (came with a pair of jeans purchased in 2000)
Rampage Pointy Black Pumps (Size 7, bought from Amazon in 2009 or 2010)
Claire’s Black Stud Earrings (bought in 2000 – wore it to a friend’s prom)
DIY Necklace (made it from a Claire’s flower choker bought in 2003 + a beaded necklace bought from a fashion boutique in 2009)
Heart Border Ring (I think my dad found this on the street – he occasionally has some fabulous finds, like a discarded Oneida spoon that he found in a parking lot that everyone in my house now likes to use)
Detail of necklace:
Detail of earrings:
Detail of ring:
[That's Jem on the left. Oh, hello, Jem.]
My husband and I went to dinner with a family friend this evening. I had pork osso buco with garlic mashed potatoes, collard greens, and fried plantains. My husband had the salmon with saffron rice and fried plantains, and our family friend had plantain encrusted chicken with garlic mashed potatoes and julienned squash.
As soon as I saw the food, my first thought was: “Get in my belly!” One of the greatest joys in my life is savoring collard greens that have been simmered in bacon grease. Mmmm.
I was inspired to belt a scarf after reading this post from Elaine of Toronto Beauty Reviews. However, after trying it out, I found I had some awful muffin top issues (the aqua belt I wanted to use didn’t have the right hole placements along the belt, so I wasn’t able to adjust the tightness of the belt accordingly). I decided to continue wearing the scarf, but I decided to knot it instead:
H&M White Tee (Size XS, bought in 2010; cut off the bands at the sleeves and at the bottom of the tee) [cost/use = $8/3 = $2.67]
H&M Violet Cardigan (Size XS, bought in 2009)
BR Jeans (Size 4, given as a gift in 2007)
Gap Leather Belt (bought in 2010)
Mossimo Taupe Heels (Size 7, bought from Target in 2009)
Aqua Scarf (borrowed from my mom)
Faux Amethyst Earrings (Valentine’s Day 2008 gift from my husband)
Close up of earrings:
Detail of scarf print:
I wore a different outfit this morning to go to church, but 1) I didn’t take pictures of it and 2) I figured I could wear it to the office, so I’m going to save that outfit for Wednesday.
Early this morning, my husband and I took our friend to the airport for her return trip to Viet Nam. The most exciting event was that as my friend was doing her self check in, directly across from her stood Emily VanCamp, aka Rebecca Harper from “Brothers & Sisters.” I wanted to ask her, “Are you Rebecca from ‘Brothers & Sisters?’” but I’m sure actors and actresses must get tired of fans coming up all the time and harassing them, so I stayed about ten feet away and gave shy glances (read: stares) every now and again. Later, I called my mom to let her know that I saw Rebecca (at the time, I couldn’t remember Emily’s name!), and my mom, who is also a fan of the show, became so excited.
My mom kept telling me, “I would have said hi and asked her how Justin is doing!” That’s the kind of thing my mom can get away with, but not me.
For a movie date tonight with my husband, I changed into the following:
I swapped my BR jeans for my 7 for All Mankind jeans (hand-me-down/gift from my aunt, Size 26), the violet cardigan for a black cardigan (H&M Size S), and my Mossimo taupe pumps for my Mossimo black strappy heels (Target, Size 7). I then added some black and silver accessories: the black flower ring (gift from a friend), an Express necklace (gift from a friend), and jet bead drop earrings (gift from a friend).
We watched Fast Five, which I highly recommend for those who like action films and have enjoyed the previous Fast and the Furious movies…or if you’re a Vin Diesel fan like I am.
It’s a pity that if I ran into Vin Diesel at the airport, I would probably just shoot darting glances at him like I did when I ran into Emily VanCamp. Some things will never change.
My friends gave me a graphic tee for my bachelorette party in 2009. I don’t often get the chance to wear it because it’s somewhat tongue in cheek. My friends knew that I liked “Put a Ring On It” because it’s catchy and I couldn’t get over the dance. I love the dance moves for the song and try to imitate it (badly) at every opportunity I get, which is usually every time I hear “Put a Ring On It.”
Graphic Tee (gift from friends; cut off the sleeves and the bottom of the tee) [cost/use = 0/5 = 0]
Mossimo Open Draped Cardigan (Size XS, bought in 2010)
F21 Flouncy Skirt (Size S, bought in 2008)
Grey Leggings (Size S, bought from Target in 2010)
Mossimo Over the Knee Boots (Size 6.5, bought from Target in 2010) [you can find them here]
Black Flower Ring (gift from a friend)
Silver Studs (gift from a friend)
I wore my 13 Clocks inspired outfit Saturday morning to pick up a friend from the airport and run errands. After dinner, I changed into the above outfit to go to a local dive bar for a friend’s birthday. Yesterday was filled with a lot of running around, but it was also a lot of fun.
However, again, I am reminded of my body’s physical limitations when I had to take a two hour nap today to recuperate from yesterday’s festivities. While I didn’t get a chance to show off my pretty poor dancing moves, I did get to enjoy a very shy girl’s great rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Bad” on the dance floor.
Thus, this leaves only one question: ”Who’s bad?”
BCX Geometric Print Halter Dress (Size S, bought from Macy’s in 2007) [cost/use = $35/7 = $5]
H&M White Cardigan (Size 6, bought in 2007)
Aldo Wedges (Size 37, bought in 2009)
F21 Square Mirror Studs (part of a bridal shower package received in 2010)
I wore my grey and yellow outfit this morning and I later changed into the above outfit. I bought the dress above for the express purpose of going clubbing. I’ve actually never worn it to a club, but a friend did! I have worn the dress to a house party once, though.
Currently sporting:
NYC New York Minute Color in Mulberry Street
and China Glaze in Gussied Up Green on my toes. No pedicure pictures, but here’s what the shade looks like on my sister (who is currently wearing it and loving it):
And an additional picture of when I wore it back in November:
I’m watching Community’s “For a Few Paintballs More” episode via hulu while writing this post. Some of my favorite lines so far:
- The Dean: “Those guys are ballers-yo! I hope you like getting balled.”
- Abed: “You like me because I’m immature.”
- Random Girl (saying her own name): “Vicky!”
If anyone has ever read George Martin’s Game of Thrones series (now on HBO), one of my favorite parts is when Arya’s friend gains courage by shouting his name before going into battle. He shouts, “Hot Pieeeeee!” and I literally laughed out loud while reading (and picturing) that scene.
My husband and I sometimes read books at the same time by taking turns reading a certain number of chapters, and when he heard me laughing, he asked what had happened. I told him about the scene, and he knew exactly what I was talking about because he had just read it as well. We have since added “Hot Pie!” into our list of oft-repeated phrases.
Thus, before I end my post tonight, all I have left to say is “Hot Pieeeeee!”
